CLEVER BACTERIAS ARE FORMING BIOFILMS

New R&D projects by BASF and Harvard University scientists are directing efforts to determine how biofilms are formed and how they can be prevented.
Biofilms, are bacterial communities that form on a range of surfaces from water pipes to medical devices in hospital patients, that have come under the microscope because they are believed to be the cause of severe hospital-acquired infections, leading to thousands of death every year.
Biofilms are difficult to eradicate because the constituent cells are intrinsically more resistant to antimicrobials and biocides than individual cells of the same species growing as dispersed populations and may require antibiotic level of biochemicals to combat them. This studies will combine knowledge of biochemistry, chemistry, biology, physics and materials science. For further information you may see May 26th edition of www.ChemicalWeek.com .